WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake” by allowing Iran’s national women’s soccer team to be sent back home and called on Australia’s prime minister to give asylum to team members.
The Iranians’ campaign in the Australian-hosted Asian Cup tournament started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The team was eliminated on Sunday after losing 2-0 to the Philippines.
“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “The U.S. will take them if you won’t.”
Global players’ union FIFPRO said earlier on Monday there were serious concerns for the welfare of the team, as they prepared to return home after being labelled “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing their national anthem before a game.
"Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t…" – @POTUS pic.twitter.com/OTIsmVavJR
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 9, 2026
The players’ decision to stand in silence during Iran’s anthem before their first match against South Korea was labelled by a commentator on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting as the “pinnacle of dishonour”.
The team then sang the anthem and saluted before their second match against Australia, sparking fears among human rights campaigners that the women had been coerced by government minders.
When asked about whether Australia would grant the players asylum, Matt Thistlethwaite, the assistant minister for foreign affairs and trade, said the government could not “go into individual circumstances for privacy reasons”.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson; writing by Michelle Nichols, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Ljunggren for Reuters)